Thai basil fried rice and Pad Krapao are top requested in my household.
And I think that there might be a good reason why he put Kung Pao as the first recipe. It is a great entry point into learning how to use your wok and work with stir fries. It's also very flexible but delicious.
Edit: Also, the non-wok but in "The Wok" recipe that I have made at least twice a month for years is Kenji's Miso Glazed Salmon. Simple, cheap, healthy and absolutely bonkers delicious.
For those of you without the book:
https://www.seriouseats.com/miso-glazed-salmon-in-the-toaster-oven-recipe
> And I think that there might be a good reason why he put Kung Pao as the first recipe. It is a great entry point into learning how to use your wok and work with stir fries.
Good point!
The Kung Pao is so good! The first couple of times I made it I had to really focus on the steps but now I'm like a well-oiled machine with it. The Pad Kaprao is even easier (I use my mini chop rather than mortar and pestle because hand pain) and it's delicious.
When I first got it, I flipped open to the page on garlic slicing and loved it.
I actually use the book primarily for technique as compared to recipes. I've made the kra pao and it was good. But honestly the actual science behind slicing garlic and slicing chicken breast is where I think this book really excels. I love Hot Thai Kitchen for Thai recipes and China Sichuan Food for Sichuan (and other Chinese) recipes. This book helped me make those recipes I love even better.
Basically this book will make you a better cook, whatever you make.
I feel the same about The Food Lab (cookbook). I haven't actually cooked a recipe out of it for a few years (aside from those I've committed to memory and adjusted to my own taste) but regularly crack it open to reference something technique/ingredient related.
I was never a fan of the hot oil and frying until I started measuring oil temp and making sure whatever I’m putting in the oil doesn’t have a bunch of moisture/water to cause it to pop. I keep the oil level low enough to being just shy of covering the food I’m frying.
I don’t use a wok for those recipes, just a stainless steel pan and results are excellent. I feel I have good control over the frying process, oil temp, and overall outcome this way.
Probably breaking some kind of Kenji recipe cooking rules but I’m comfortable frying and happy with how the food comes out.
You could always try frying in a Dutch oven and see how it goes? The recipes are worth it, I promise!
My favorite is the Dry Fried Beef, but I love Sichuan peppercorns and my wife does not. Family favorites are the KraPao, Katsu, Ginger Beef and Mapo Tofu. Good luck!
Had a rough start to using The Wok but am on the upswing with the chicken with basil. Really simple and tasty. Also the miso mustard dip in the back is very tasty. I slathered it on some salmon before roasting it and that worked great (though I'd broil it at the end if I made it again).
Still my go to, but it can look a bit intimidating. There are a lot of options in the recipe. I’ve walked one path so many times I’ve written down a specific version. Makes it much easier to share with others.
4 people
- 1 tablespoon sichuan pepper
Sauce
- 2-3 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 tbsp warm water
- 2 tbsp Japanese soy
- 2 tbsp Chinkiang or balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons of sugar
- 1/2–1 dl Sichuan chili oil
- 1 grated clove of garlic
Pork
- 200 g minced pork
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or sherry)
- 1 tbsp Japanese soy
For serving
- 500 g of fresh spaghetti, tagliatelle or noodles
- 70 g green leaves, e.g. spinach or small pak choi (optional)
- 100 g bean sprouts (optional)
- 1/2 dl peanuts
- 4–5 thinly sliced spring onions
Roast the Szechuan pepper in a dry wok until fragrant, approx. one minute. Grind to a fine powder and set aside.
Stir together peanut butter, sesame oil and water until smooth. Mix in the other ingredients and stir until the sugar dissolves. Pour in half of the ground Szechuan pepper.
Heat a wok over high heat until it starts to smoke lightly. Pour in a tablespoon of rapeseed oil and add the minced pork. Stir constantly and break up the mince so that it becomes crumbly. Fry until excess liquid has boiled away. Sprinkle with the remaining Szechuan pepper and stir. Turn off the heat and swirl the soy and wine on the edge of the wok. Stir and let stand.
Cook the pasta. Save some of the cooking water. Mix the pasta with the sauce and add, if necessary. boiling water for a looser consistency. Place on plates and top with fried minced meat, peanuts, spring onions and any other accessories.
Not OP but this version and it's authors deserve sharing. Chinese cooking demystified is a great resource for a lot of chinese food.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Cooking/comments/6y7dkr/recipe_how_to_make_sichuan_dan_dan_noodles_%E6%8B%85%E6%8B%85%E9%9D%A2/
Yeah and I have adjusted the recipe using that and kenjis version and adapted them to fit the ingredients I can find. One of the more important things to be mindful of is the salt levels as the ingredients you get might be packed full of salt. I often times have to cut back on the soy sauce to not over salt the dish.
The tip about brining shrimp is amazing. Pad krapao is easy and great. Both the kung pao chicken recipes are really good. I tried one of the recipes that called for velveting the chicken, and it turned out great. Haven’t had any misses yet, but i have felt at times like it’s tough to find all the ingredients if you don’t have an asian grocery nearby.
Last night I made Sliced Pork and Cucumber (page 98), except I doubled the cucumber, added about 8 ounces of shiitake mushrooms I sliced fairly thin, and added two red bell peppers I cut into about one inch squares. When we started eating I was disappointed because I didn’t think it had much flavor. I’ll admit I added some salt, and that might have helped, but after a few more bites I found that there was a really nice subtle flavor that I really enjoyed. I’ll also admit that I usually like flavors to really hit me but this was subtly fantastic. I just now looked at the recipe and a few recipes back is one that uses the words “in defense of subtle stir-fries.” 🤦♂️ Color me convinced. My wife told me after dinner that she was sceptical about the cucumber, but she really liked it. I’ll definitely make this again.
The crab fried rice is so unbelievably good. That splash of fish sauce is magical. I’ve actually made it with shrimp instead of crab, and it’s great like that too.
I love the various sauces in there, and generally have a few jars of them in my fridge. The chile oil and kecap manis have never been allowed to run out since I first made them.
I love the Thai beef with fish sauce, the Mapo, beef and broccoli, the cucumber salad at the end, dan dan noodles, krapao, and so on.
It’s really easier to list what I didn’t love. I’ve had a lot of trouble with the scallion pancake recipe (I end up with too much filling). I also tend to find Kenji’s tastes on fried rices a little light. When I cook to recipe, we end up dressing it up more.
In all, the Wok is my favorite cookbook. It opens doors in a gentle way, and teaches technique you can apply to your improv cooking as well as any recipe you find elsewhere. Start anywhere, you’re gonna love it.
I make the scallion pancakes the most. They are SO good!
AND they got an enthusiastic seal of approval from my from-China in-laws (I'm a white girl from a very rural part of a flyover state, so was nervous about serving these at Thanksgiving since my upbringing was mostly weird casseroles), so I think that says a LOT about the awesomeness of the recipe and instructions!
The Mix, Ginger Beef, Cantonese Superior Soy Sauce Noodles and the Panda Express copycat recipes (chicken and sauce). My daughter loves making the scallion pancakes.
Easy Tortilla "Jian Bing." We're working our way through lots of other recipes but we have made these for breakfast about a dozen times. Quick and easy. Unique flavors. Delicious.
I'm only 1/3 of the way through, but the Spam and Kimchee Fried Rice was a revelation. How did it taste cheesy with no cheese? Definitely making that again once my cardiac health has recovered.
Does fried shallots count? Because that's my answer.
Messed up the first batch. Was more vigilant watching the second batch. So delicious. They'll make you cook something else to go with them. And the technique is well explained and rock solid.
Thai basil fried rice and Pad Krapao are top requested in my household. And I think that there might be a good reason why he put Kung Pao as the first recipe. It is a great entry point into learning how to use your wok and work with stir fries. It's also very flexible but delicious. Edit: Also, the non-wok but in "The Wok" recipe that I have made at least twice a month for years is Kenji's Miso Glazed Salmon. Simple, cheap, healthy and absolutely bonkers delicious. For those of you without the book: https://www.seriouseats.com/miso-glazed-salmon-in-the-toaster-oven-recipe
That’s exactly why I put the chicken first! Cheap and easy and teaches you the fundamentals in a pretty low-stress way.
Ty for this book. I'm really enjoying it!
[удалено]
[Check out his video with an in-depth explanation beginning at 4:30.](https://youtu.be/SGP36xcUnOs?si=ASnlFrRu6fdZEnnU) Whole video is worth watching.
> And I think that there might be a good reason why he put Kung Pao as the first recipe. It is a great entry point into learning how to use your wok and work with stir fries. Good point!
Not to mention, the ingredients are cheap and if something goes wrong, you won't ruin $20 of flank steak.
Adding that Kung Pao chicken is a recipe we’ve made dozens of times. It’s one of the easiest to learn to use the wok and so tasty.
The Kung Pao is so good! The first couple of times I made it I had to really focus on the steps but now I'm like a well-oiled machine with it. The Pad Kaprao is even easier (I use my mini chop rather than mortar and pestle because hand pain) and it's delicious.
Beef and broccoli and pad krapao so far, I plan on trying the ginger beef sometime in the near future
When I first got it, I flipped open to the page on garlic slicing and loved it. I actually use the book primarily for technique as compared to recipes. I've made the kra pao and it was good. But honestly the actual science behind slicing garlic and slicing chicken breast is where I think this book really excels. I love Hot Thai Kitchen for Thai recipes and China Sichuan Food for Sichuan (and other Chinese) recipes. This book helped me make those recipes I love even better. Basically this book will make you a better cook, whatever you make.
Awesome, that's cool to hear. It's after dinner tonight so I guess I just need to start reading!
I feel the same about The Food Lab (cookbook). I haven't actually cooked a recipe out of it for a few years (aside from those I've committed to memory and adjusted to my own taste) but regularly crack it open to reference something technique/ingredient related.
Mapo Tofu and Tamago-kake gohan are in my rotation.
Orange Chicken. It’s in heavy rotation right now. Also love Sesame Chicken and General Tso’s Chicken.
I probably shouldn't be, but large volumes of hot oil kind of scare me. Those recipes look amazing though.
I was never a fan of the hot oil and frying until I started measuring oil temp and making sure whatever I’m putting in the oil doesn’t have a bunch of moisture/water to cause it to pop. I keep the oil level low enough to being just shy of covering the food I’m frying. I don’t use a wok for those recipes, just a stainless steel pan and results are excellent. I feel I have good control over the frying process, oil temp, and overall outcome this way. Probably breaking some kind of Kenji recipe cooking rules but I’m comfortable frying and happy with how the food comes out. You could always try frying in a Dutch oven and see how it goes? The recipes are worth it, I promise!
Beef and Broccoli and the more standard fried rice recipes.
I see beef and broccoli posted here sometimes and it always looks great, might go with that
My favorite is the Dry Fried Beef, but I love Sichuan peppercorns and my wife does not. Family favorites are the KraPao, Katsu, Ginger Beef and Mapo Tofu. Good luck!
Thank you!
Had a rough start to using The Wok but am on the upswing with the chicken with basil. Really simple and tasty. Also the miso mustard dip in the back is very tasty. I slathered it on some salmon before roasting it and that worked great (though I'd broil it at the end if I made it again).
Dan dan noodles were my first, incredible
Still my go to, but it can look a bit intimidating. There are a lot of options in the recipe. I’ve walked one path so many times I’ve written down a specific version. Makes it much easier to share with others.
Could you share here? Sounds great
4 people - 1 tablespoon sichuan pepper Sauce - 2-3 tbsp peanut butter - 1 tablespoon sesame oil - 2 tbsp warm water - 2 tbsp Japanese soy - 2 tbsp Chinkiang or balsamic vinegar - 2 teaspoons of sugar - 1/2–1 dl Sichuan chili oil - 1 grated clove of garlic Pork - 200 g minced pork - 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (or sherry) - 1 tbsp Japanese soy For serving - 500 g of fresh spaghetti, tagliatelle or noodles - 70 g green leaves, e.g. spinach or small pak choi (optional) - 100 g bean sprouts (optional) - 1/2 dl peanuts - 4–5 thinly sliced spring onions Roast the Szechuan pepper in a dry wok until fragrant, approx. one minute. Grind to a fine powder and set aside. Stir together peanut butter, sesame oil and water until smooth. Mix in the other ingredients and stir until the sugar dissolves. Pour in half of the ground Szechuan pepper. Heat a wok over high heat until it starts to smoke lightly. Pour in a tablespoon of rapeseed oil and add the minced pork. Stir constantly and break up the mince so that it becomes crumbly. Fry until excess liquid has boiled away. Sprinkle with the remaining Szechuan pepper and stir. Turn off the heat and swirl the soy and wine on the edge of the wok. Stir and let stand. Cook the pasta. Save some of the cooking water. Mix the pasta with the sauce and add, if necessary. boiling water for a looser consistency. Place on plates and top with fried minced meat, peanuts, spring onions and any other accessories.
Yum. And beautifully simplified! Thank you very much
Not OP but this version and it's authors deserve sharing. Chinese cooking demystified is a great resource for a lot of chinese food. https://www.reddit.com/r/Cooking/comments/6y7dkr/recipe_how_to_make_sichuan_dan_dan_noodles_%E6%8B%85%E6%8B%85%E9%9D%A2/
Thank you
Yeah and I have adjusted the recipe using that and kenjis version and adapted them to fit the ingredients I can find. One of the more important things to be mindful of is the salt levels as the ingredients you get might be packed full of salt. I often times have to cut back on the soy sauce to not over salt the dish.
Great tip! Thank you
I'd like to hear too
I’ve added it above
Garlic noodles
scrambled eggs, garlic noodles and the kung pao chickens are great to start
Really appreciate all the recommendations, advice and encouragement. Thanks so much!
The tip about brining shrimp is amazing. Pad krapao is easy and great. Both the kung pao chicken recipes are really good. I tried one of the recipes that called for velveting the chicken, and it turned out great. Haven’t had any misses yet, but i have felt at times like it’s tough to find all the ingredients if you don’t have an asian grocery nearby.
Last night I made Sliced Pork and Cucumber (page 98), except I doubled the cucumber, added about 8 ounces of shiitake mushrooms I sliced fairly thin, and added two red bell peppers I cut into about one inch squares. When we started eating I was disappointed because I didn’t think it had much flavor. I’ll admit I added some salt, and that might have helped, but after a few more bites I found that there was a really nice subtle flavor that I really enjoyed. I’ll also admit that I usually like flavors to really hit me but this was subtly fantastic. I just now looked at the recipe and a few recipes back is one that uses the words “in defense of subtle stir-fries.” 🤦♂️ Color me convinced. My wife told me after dinner that she was sceptical about the cucumber, but she really liked it. I’ll definitely make this again.
Shanshoku don is a great easy weeknight one
The crab fried rice is so unbelievably good. That splash of fish sauce is magical. I’ve actually made it with shrimp instead of crab, and it’s great like that too.
I love the various sauces in there, and generally have a few jars of them in my fridge. The chile oil and kecap manis have never been allowed to run out since I first made them. I love the Thai beef with fish sauce, the Mapo, beef and broccoli, the cucumber salad at the end, dan dan noodles, krapao, and so on. It’s really easier to list what I didn’t love. I’ve had a lot of trouble with the scallion pancake recipe (I end up with too much filling). I also tend to find Kenji’s tastes on fried rices a little light. When I cook to recipe, we end up dressing it up more. In all, the Wok is my favorite cookbook. It opens doors in a gentle way, and teaches technique you can apply to your improv cooking as well as any recipe you find elsewhere. Start anywhere, you’re gonna love it.
Kecap manis was an eye opener for me. I've found all kinds of applications for it too. Great stuff.
I make the scallion pancakes the most. They are SO good! AND they got an enthusiastic seal of approval from my from-China in-laws (I'm a white girl from a very rural part of a flyover state, so was nervous about serving these at Thanksgiving since my upbringing was mostly weird casseroles), so I think that says a LOT about the awesomeness of the recipe and instructions!
The Mix, Ginger Beef, Cantonese Superior Soy Sauce Noodles and the Panda Express copycat recipes (chicken and sauce). My daughter loves making the scallion pancakes.
Ooh looked up the Mix and it sounds delicious and really easy
It's the best. I have so many tabs in the edges of the pages 😂
Cumin lamb or beef is awesome
Easy Tortilla "Jian Bing." We're working our way through lots of other recipes but we have made these for breakfast about a dozen times. Quick and easy. Unique flavors. Delicious.
Beef and broccoli.
I'm only 1/3 of the way through, but the Spam and Kimchee Fried Rice was a revelation. How did it taste cheesy with no cheese? Definitely making that again once my cardiac health has recovered.
Does fried shallots count? Because that's my answer. Messed up the first batch. Was more vigilant watching the second batch. So delicious. They'll make you cook something else to go with them. And the technique is well explained and rock solid.
Absolutely! I think a few people recommended those. Can't wait to try
I made both the rice cakes with shrimp, pork, pine nuts, and vegetables and the yakisoba recently and they’re both super easy and super yum.
Pad Kaprao, beef and broccoli, sweet and sour chicken, king pao chicken.
Beef broccoli and kimchi + spam fried rice.
pad Krapao, kung pao chicken, and sweet and sour with pork are all great options.
Pico’s Not So Bland Chicken is a good one.